Guided walk to the Combe Gill hydro project

In 2019, the National Trust began work on the new Combe Gill Hydro project which combined with Honister Gill and Lodore makes Borrowdale a hotspot for green energy.

National Trust hydropower schemes are ‘run of the river’ so we don’t dam the watercourse. A set amount of water, called the ‘hands off flow’ will always run down the natural watercourse, we only extract ‘extra’ water to power the turbine.

This ensures that we don’t extract any water during dry spells, ensuring the gill keeps flowing, for beauty, for recreation and for wildlife.

Come and take a look for yourself at the finished hydro while learning all about the project and its benefits from one of our rangers.